Lawmakers Could Vote on Income Tax This Week

Friday, Bob Ferguson announced he reached an agreement with legislative leaders to amend the proposed state income tax bill, and that he will sign it if it reaches his desk.

The changes? A handful of small tax credits and modest tweaks.

But the core proposal remains the same: creating a state income tax in Washington, a massive shift in how the state taxes residents and businesses.

Even more troubling, the revised proposal falls far short of Ferguson’s own promise that a majority of any income tax revenue would go toward tax relief and cost-of-living support for low- and middle-income families.

That promise has now quietly disappeared.

Unfortunately, this isn’t surprising. During the campaign, Ferguson frequently talked about a balanced approach — pairing any tax increases with meaningful spending reductions.

But once in office, he signed the largest series of tax increases in state history along with a budget that included virtually no spending cuts. Now the same pattern is repeating itself with the income tax.

Experience from other states shows that high income taxes often push job-creating businesses to relocate to lower-tax states — reducing investment, slowing economic growth, and limiting opportunity.

So who actually benefits from this proposal?

👉 Washington’s largest corporations, many of which are structured in ways that shield them from the tax.
⚠️ Powerful legislative leaders like Sen. Jamie Pedersen and Rep. Laurie Jinkins who want a new and growing stream of revenue to fund ever-expanding state spending.

And spending has certainly expanded. Washington’s state budget has more than doubled over the past decade. An income tax would give lawmakers the ability to keep expanding government even further — and once it exists, it can easily be broadened year after year.

So who gets hurt?

🏪 Small business owners — many will face higher taxes and pass those costs on to customers through higher prices.
👴 Retirees — including public servants like teachers, police officers, and firefighters — because retirement income is not exempt from the proposal.
📈 Every Washington resident — because once lawmakers get their foot in the door with an income tax, expanding it becomes easier every year.
⚖️ The rule of law — because legal experts, (and anyone with common sense, really), warn the proposal clearly violates the Washington State Constitution.

And lawmakers are trying to move fast. A vote could happen as soon as tomorrow — or at any point next week. That means now is the time to act.

• Contact your state representatives and tell them to vote NO on a state income tax.
  
  If you’ve emailed them, call them.
  If you’ve called them, email them.
  If you’ve done both, please do it again.
  

• Then forward this action alert to your friends and family and ask them to contact their representatives too.

Washington voters have rejected an income tax again and again. Lawmakers should respect that decision.

Tell them: Vote NO on a state income tax.